A dramedy following the personal and professional lives of a trio of gay men in San Francisco. This season, Patrick finds himself getting what he thinks he wants, only to realize it';;s not what he needs. Agustin leaves his art aspirations behind while striking up a friendship with a charming 'bear' in the wake of his rough break-up, and Dom faces many ups and down as he continues pursuing his dream of opening a Portuguese peri peri chicken establishment.
Looking may seem a bit quotidian compared to the current requirements of the weekly series format, but its attention to detail isn't given nearly enough credit.
What I admired most about this first episode was how the writers set up the season's biggest themes and story arcs while also giving the characters ample time to cut loose.
The second season of HBO's Looking has much of what made the first season such a promising groundbreaker, and more. So why does it feel so static and, frankly, a bit boring?
[It] is the network's best and most original effort in the half-hour category since Enlightened. Those who stuck with its first season were treated to a story that took a modern, downbeat vibe and extended it into full, fragile beauty in eight episodes.
Looking distinguishes itself by moving past the tired cliches involving gay life to a more matter-of-fact, intensely personal snapshot of these characters and struggles, told in a serialized fashion.
Looking is special thanks to its subject matter and its characters, and it's a shame there aren't more people championing a show that's emotionally real and often puts its characters into funny circumstances.